@Austin Green Franklin is a lovely little town in a fantastic area. 

Charming, smaller coastal towns with a slower pace of life, natural amenities, seclusion and semi-self sustainability are high on the wish list of many high level clients and investors. 

@Michelle Hardy Just adding, check your local city too for their requirements, many have specific requirements that the state may not have.Here in VT in the towns my properties are in, there is not a requirement to keep them separate or pay interest. 

You can still buy houses in small farm towns in MN for $25k.

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

Explore Potential Funding OptionsPrivate Money Lenders (PMLs): Reach out to private individuals looking to invest in real estate.

To minimize upfront costs, explore down payment assistance programs, creative financing strategies like seller financing, or rent-to-own agreements. 

:)Just kidding.1) Stock market: may want to do this while exploring other options, just make sure funds are easily accessible2) Buy Multi-unit: two basic options:- Buy turnkey: may not cashflow for 3-5 years, depending on your management skills.- Buy someone else's problem: can you fix their problems?

LOL   That is exactly what I would expect from the Detroit City Government.If you go there, they are likely going to say you first need a license from a different office on the other side of town and when you drive there, they will say you need an appointment with them, but they only have appointments the third Thursday of each month.  

And while a 1031 exchange isn’t an option, some people explore alternatives like installment sales to spread out taxes or even tweaking the investment structure so your returns are treated as interest instead of equity.There are definitely some creative strategies out there.